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Saturday, September 6, 2008

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Contact Information:

200 East Santa Clara Street
Tower, 3rd Floor
San Jose, CA 95113-1905

Phone: (408) 535-3555
Fax: (408) 292-6055

 

Our business hours are as follows:

  • General office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
  • Office hours for walk-in customers (i.e. without appointments) for Planning and Building counter services are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
  • Extended hours are available on Tuesday evenings, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., for single family residential appointments only.  Please call (408) 535-3555 for availability and qualifications.

Appointments for service can be obtained by contacting Development Services at (408) 535-3555.


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Planning in San Jose: A Community Guide

Planning in San José offers an award-winning introduction to land use planning and development for people unfamiliar with the process in the City, as well as for those already acquainted with the practice who want to learn more.

Planificación en San José: Una Guía Para la Comunidad

Planificación en San José, un documento galardonado, ofrece una introducción para planear el uso de terreno y el desarollo para personas ajenas al proceso en la Ciudad, así como para quienes están familiarizados con la práctica y quieren aprender más."

 

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Pictures of San Jose

 

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What's New

Fee Schedule for 2008-2009

Application filing fees for the various Planning Division processes, as well as fees for Public Works and Department of Transportation review of those processes.

Date: August 15, 2008

Housing Element Update 2007-2014

The City of San Jose is currently preparing an update to the Housing Element focusing on housing needs for the period between January 1, 2007 through June 30, 2014. This Housing Element Update will serve as a starting point for developing the housing goals and policies for the Envision San Jose 2040 General Plan Update. For more information please click here to visit the Housing Element Update 2007 - 2014 webpage.

Date: July 24, 2008

General Plan Update Tour

On Saturday June 28, 2008 Planning Staff conducted a tour of San Jose for the Envision San Jose 2040 General Plan Update Task Force.  The purpose of the tour was to orient and familiarize the Task Force with the characteristics of the existing city and areas where future growth may or may not occur.  The tour also highlighted examples of the kind of residential, employment, shopping, and mixed use development that might best fit the needs of the future. To access the Tour Book please see the following links. For your convenience, we have split the Tour Book into sections listed below:

Section 1 : Cover Letter, Table of Contents, Tour Map
Section 2: County Government Center/Old City Hall, North San Jose
Section 3: Jackson-Taylor Area, Midtown Specific Plan
Section 4: West San Carlos Street, South Bascom Avenue
Section 5: Southwest Expressway/Vasona Corridor, Tamien Area
Section 6: Curtner Light Rail Station, Ohlone-Chynoweth/Santa Teresa Boulevard
Section 7: Coyote Valley, Evergreen Specific Plan
Section 8: Story Road, Alum Rock Avenue
Section 9: McKee Light Rail Station, Transit Oriented Development Projects

Date: June 30, 2008

Downtown High Rise Housing

The City is currently considering several applications for Downtown high-rise housing totaling nearly 2,000 residential units. The attached table groups projects according to status as "Approved Projects, Application Review, and Preliminary Review." Buildings over 100 feet in height proposed in other parts of the City are also listed. Additional information regarding an individual project may be obtained by contacting Planning staff and referring to a "File #." View a map of pending Downtown High Rise Housing.

Date: August 5, 2008

Habitat Conservation and Natural Communities Conservation Plan

Update (8/4/08): The 1st Administrative Draft HCP/NCCP is now available on the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Plan public portal external link.

To promote the recovery of endangered species while accommodating planned development, infrastructure and maintenance activities, the Local Partners, consisting of the City, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, Santa Clara Valley Water District, Santa Clara County and the cities of Gilroy and Morgan Hill, are preparing a joint Habitat Conservation Plan/Natural Community Conservation Plan (HCP/NCCP).  The Santa Clara Valley Habitat Plan (Plan) is being developed in association with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), California Department of Fish & Game (CDFG), and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and in consultation with stakeholder groups and the general public to protect and enhance ecological diversity and function within more than 500,000 acres of southern Santa Clara County.  The final Plan will provide a framework for the Local Partners and landowners to complete projects while protecting at-risk species and their essential habitats, some of which only occur in Santa Clara County.

A brochure offering an overview of habitat conservation planning and the Santa Clara Valley HCP/NCCP can be viewed and printed from the following link: HCP_Winter_2007-08_Brochure.pdf

For recent updates and to learn more about the planning effort, obtain documents related to the HCP/NCCP and to find out how to take part in the HCP/NCCP process please visit the Habitat Plan website site by clicking on the following link: Santa Clara Valley Habitat Conservation Plan / Natural Communities Conservation Plan external link or City of San Jose Habitat Conservation Plan update page

Date: August 4, 2008

Enhanced Vapor Recovery (EVR) Phase II Systems Installations and Clean Air Separator (CAS) Tank Installation Process

By April 1, 2009, nearly 13,000 gasoline dispensing facilities in California will need to obtain permits, purchase EVR equipment, and have the installation performed by a certified contractor.  Enhanced Vapor Recovery or "EVR" refers to a new generation of clean nozzles and equipment that control emissions at gasoline dispensing facilities.   These installations are processed through the clean air separator tanks that have been approved by the State of California.  If you would like more information regarding the program being managed by California’s Air Resources Board that information can be viewed at www.arb.ca.gov/vapor/vapor.htm. 

The City of San Jose has set up a program to address the installation of these systems through the Industrial Tool Installation (ITI) Program which is reviewed by a team composed of members from Planning, Building and Hazmat.  To access and obtain this information and applications click on the following link: Enhanced Vapor Recovery (EVR) Phase II Systems Installations and Clean Air Separator (CAS) Tank Installation Process 


Great Cities Speaker Series

Beginning June 5th and continuing through December, international leaders in urban planning, design, architecture, art and sustainability will situmulate discussion and thought about San Jose's future through the Great Cities Speaker Series. The Series will consist of free monthly public lectures followed by receptions to continue conversation among audience members. For more information on the entire schedule and reservation information please click here.

If you would like additional information on the Great Cities Speaker Series please click here.


Encouragment of Commercial, Industrial, and Small Residential Development Applications in the Evergreen-East Hills Area

On April 15, 2008, the City Council adopted a resolution to rescind Resolution No. 71939, which was adopted on January 27, 2004 that directed staff to discourage residential development applications in the Evergreen-East Hills Development Policy area in order for the City to work on the Evergreen-East Hills Vision Strategy.

City Council clarified on April 15, 2008 that it now encourages the filing of residential development applications in the Evergreen-East Hills area (area east of Highway 101 and south of Story Road) specifically for proposals of 35 units or fewer. The City Council also clarified that residential projects of greater than 35 units in size are still discouraged, and all commercial and industrial projects applications continue to be encouraged.

Upon filing of residential development applications for 35 or fewer units staff would begin an initial review of these proposals for conformance to the City’s General Plan, Zoning Ordinance, design guidelines, and other applicable policies; however, environmental and other staff analyses can not be completed until the Evergreen-East Hills Development Policy is adopted. Council consideration of the Evergreen-East Hills Development Policy is expected this fall. For more information on the Policy update process, click here.


Green Building Policy – Private Sector

The City of San Jose is developing a green building policy for the private sector in order to the City’s Green Vision goal of building or retrofitting 50 million square feet of green buildings within the next 15 years.  The Department of Planning, Building, and Code Enforcement is collecting ideas and researching the development of a policy for the private sector.  Please see our Green Building page for information:  


Japantown Corporation Yard Redevelopment Project

The Japantown Corporation Yard Redevelopment Project proposes to reuse the former City of San Jose corporation yard for up to 600 single-family attached residential units; 16,000 to 30,000 square feet of commercial uses; and a public park and community center containing 10,000 square feet on a 5.23 gross acres site bounded by Jackson, 6th, Taylor, and 7th Streets.  Stay current on information and the public process for the project including the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR), tentative schedule, and City and applicant contact information.


Would you like to be notified by e-mail of pending planning permits in your community?

Consistent with the updated City Council Policy on Public Outreach, this system will notify subscribers, within 10 working days of submittal, that a planning permit application was submitted in their Council District and/or Strong Neighborhoods Initiative Area of interest. Subscribers will receive e-mail notification on most discretionary permit applications, including General Plan amendments, rezonings, conditional use and special use permits, site development permits, single family house permits and tree removal permits.

If you would like to sign up for this service, click here (or the link above).


Downtown San Jose in 3D

The Planning Divisions has launched a Google Earth file containing 3D representations of buildings in Downtown San Jose viewable in Google Earth. This file was created with the assistance of the San Jose Redevelopment Agency.


Metcalf Energy Center (MEC) Air Quality Monitoring Reports

As part of a cooperative agreement between the City of San José and the Calpine Corporation, operator of the Metcalf Energy Center in Coyote Valley, both parties agreed to participate in the installation of two air monitoring stations, one each located north and south of the plant. The first of these stations, located to the north at Los Paseos Park, began monitoring in late November 2004. Efforts continue to secure a site south of the plant for the long-term monitoring of air quality.


Street Renaming Policy Change

The City Council is considering changes to the existing City Council Policy on Street Naming and Renaming. The changes are focused on ensuring that street name change proposals include adequate outreach to affected property owners and occupants, and community initiated proposals are from the adjoining community.


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Planning Division
200 East Santa Clara Street, San Jose, CA 95113
tel. (408) 535-3555 fax (408) 292-6055
webmaster.planning@sanjoseca.gov

 

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